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Wilmington University

Former names	Wilmington College (1968–2007)
Type	Private university
Established	1968; 57 years ago (1968)
Founder	Donald E. Ross
Accreditation	MSCHE
Academic affiliations	NAICU • Space-grant
Endowment	$155 million (2022)
President	LaVerne Harmon
Academic staff	80 (full-time) 1,341 (part-time)
Students	14,020 (fall 2022)
Undergraduates	9,091 (fall 2022)
Postgraduates	4,929 (fall 2022)
Location	New Castle, Delaware, United States
Campus	Large suburb
Colors	Green and white
Nickname	Wildcats
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division II – CACC
Mascot	Wiley D. Wildcat
Website	www.wilmu.edu

Wilmington University (WilmU) is a private university with its main campus in unincorporated New Castle County, Delaware. It was established in 1968 by educator Donald E. Ross as Wilmington College and was renamed Wilmington University in 2007.

History

Founded in 1968, Wilmington University began with a small group of students under the leadership of Donald Ross. The institution experienced significant growth over the following decades, particularly under the presidency of Audrey K. Doberstein, expanding its enrollment to over 10,000 students by 2006. The name change to Wilmington University in 2007 was aimed at better reflecting its broad range of undergraduate and graduate programs.

Campuses

The main campus is located in Wilmington Manor, a census-designated place in unincorporated New Castle County, Delaware. It includes key facilities such as the Pratt Student Center and the Wilson Graduate Center. Additionally, Wilmington University operates several other campuses in Delaware, including in Dover and Georgetown, as well as partner locations in New Jersey and Maryland.

Academics

Academically, Wilmington University offers a wide array of programs through its seven colleges:

• The College of Arts & Sciences provides undergraduate and graduate programs in liberal studies, environmental science, and communication.
• The College of Education and Liberal Arts offers accredited teacher preparation programs.
• The College of Business delivers a range of undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees in business disciplines and is accredited by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education.
• The College of Health Professions and Natural Sciences focuses on completion programs for registered nurses and includes a Doctor of Nursing Practice program.
• The College of Social & Behavioral Sciences features programs in areas such as political science and clinical mental health counseling.
• The College of Technology is recognized for its information assurance and cybersecurity programs, while the College of Online & Experiential Learning manages the university’s extensive online offerings.
• The School of Law, as of March 2024, is pending approval by the American Bar Association.

Athletics

Wilmington University's athletic teams, known as the Wildcats, compete in Division II of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference. The Wilmington University Athletic Complex in Bear, Delaware, serves as the primary facility for various sports, including basketball, soccer, and lacrosse.

Notable alumni

• Anthony Allison, professional soccer player
• Paul Bechly, chemical engineer
• Hugh T. Broomall, major general, United States Air Force
• Richard C. Cathcart, former house majority leader, Delaware House of Representatives
• Dril, Twitter personality
• Bushra Gohar, politician
• Thomas P. Gordon, county executive, New Castle County, Delaware
• Ruth Briggs King, member, Delaware House of Representatives
• Trinidad Navarro, Insurance Commissioner of Delaware
• Charles Potter Jr., member, Delaware House of Representatives
• David D. Rudolph, member, Maryland House of Delegates
• Terry R. Spence, former speaker, Delaware House of Representatives
• Peter C. Schwartzkopf, speaker, Delaware House of Representatives
• Francis D. Vavala, adjutant general, State of Delaware
• R. Thomas Wagner Jr., Delaware's auditor of accounts

Notable faculty

• Jennifer Cohan, Delaware Department of Transportation Secretary
• Henry Milligan, actor, engineer, and professional boxer
• Lem Burnham, former director and vice president for player & employee development at the National Football League (NFL), former Philadelphia Eagles defensive end, current vice president for the Philadelphia chapter of NFL Alumni.

References

1. Wilmington University. DataUSA. Archived August 20, 2024, at the Wayback Machine. datausa.io. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
2. ^ Wilmington University. College Navigator, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed September 10, 2024.
3. "Locations". Wilmington University. Retrieved June 22, 2021. New Castle Wilmington University, New Castle 320 N. DuPont Highway New Castle, DE 19720 - "2010 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Wilmington Manor CDP, DE" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
4. Delaware Today: The Old College Try Again. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
5. "College of Arts and Sciences | Wilmington University". wilmu.edu. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
6. Wilmington University Press Release: Education Division at Wilmington University Receives NCATE Accreditation Archived September 27, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. November 7, 2007.
7. "College of Education at Wilmington University". wilmu.edu. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
8. "College of Education at Wilmington University". wilmu.edu. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
9. Wilmington University: College of Business Accreditation. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
10. "College of Business at Wilmington University". wilmu.edu. Archived from the original on December 25, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
11. "Nursing Programs Accreditation - Wilmington University". wilmu.edu. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
12. "College of Health Professions - Wilmington University". wilmu.edu. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
13. "College of Social & Behavioral Sciences at Wilmington University". wilmu.edu. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
14. "Centers of Academic Excellence Institutions". Archived from the original on March 19, 2015. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
15. "Wilmington University Honored as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Systems Security Education". Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
16. Owens, Jacob (October 13, 2022). "Wilmington University to start law school". Delaware Business Times. Archived from the original on November 30, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
17. "Athletic Facilities - Wilmington University". athletics.wilmu.edu. Archived from the original on December 30, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
18. Rogers, Nate (April 12, 2023). "Dril Is Everyone. More Specifically, He's a Guy Named Paul". The Ringer. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
19. Markell nominates transportation secretary Archived September 6, 2024, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 6, 2015.

External links

• Official website

• Wilmington University
• 1968 establishments in Delaware
• Education in New Castle County, Delaware
• Educational institutions established in 1968
• Private universities and colleges in Delaware